Filmed over a period of three years, Joshua Dugdale's documentary enjoys exceptional access to the Dalai Lama as it chronicles the daily agonies of the Tibetan leader as he attempts to strike a balance between his Buddhist vows and the realpolitik needed to placate China. The camera follows the Dalai Lama as he meets with world leaders, speaks to a large public audience in Canada, tours Bodhgaya, and greets Tibetan refugees newly arrived in the Dalai Lama's exile home of Dharamsala, India. Throughout, the film reveals a principled but human figure struggling to stand firm against tides of ignorance, fear, and hate.